Conceptual framework for collaborative open innovation with a startup ecosystem

The terms collaboration and startup ecosystem have become key elements within the discourse pertaining to open innovation processes in big corporations and startups alike. Even though the practice as well as the academic use of such terms to describe these forms of collaboration with startup ecosystems has increased over the last five years, little research has been done to precisely define their meaning and characteristics within the context of open innovation. The purpose of this paper is to investigate these terms, as well as to examine how they differ from related and often-interchanged concepts. By means of a systematic literature review, these definitions are derived, and a foundation for theoretical knowledge is provided. These definitions are expected to facilitate a consensus in the understanding and usage of these terms among academics and professionals.